ESPNNEWS (via Metsblog) is reporting that the deal contains an option for 2008.

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Metsblog posted a story today about the likelihood of a Manny Ramirez for Jake Peavy trade.

I spoke to a reputable inside source on Red Sox matters who indicated that Towers and Epstein are such good friends, the rumor was planted by San Diego with Edes to leverage the Giants potentially for Matt Cain or the Angels for Ervin Santana in a swap. He also indicated that the Padres have little to no interest in actually obtaining Ramirez.

Presumably, the San Diego cash will instead be used to bring in Schmidt or Zito to complement Jake Peavy, with Dave Roberts potentially being re-signed to play in their outfield.

Other reports today indicated that the Red Sox are moving closer to keeping Ramirez, which would leave them with a glut of outfielders should J.D. Drew finalize the 4-year, $56MM deal we hear so much about. That would probably mean the end of Trot Nixon's time in Boston and put Wily Mo Peña on the block.

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As for whether or not the Mets will offer Tom Glavine arbitration, I'm inclined to think that the Mets will refrain from doing so. Glavine has continually expressed indecision in the process, and the reason why the Mets didn't pick up his option was solely because the lefty was waffling. One would assume that the Mets, incredibly classy throughout what is quickly becoming an ordeal, would keep with their pattern and not offer arbitration.

11.30.2006

It's worth noting that, with the exception of internal products Jose Reyes and David Wright (who were in fact drafted/signed when Minaya was still on Steve Phillips' staff) and a few other potential 2007 Mets (like Milledge, Humber, Bannister and Soler), this team is all Omar Minaya.

That has been made even more apparent by the likely departures of Tom Glavine and Cliff Floyd, both of whom were signed by Steve Phillips before the 2003 season.

This was our time, we were told, and it wasn't unreasonable to believe that Glavine could continue the stellar output he's shown for his entire career. And Floyd, despite some injury problems, was an excellent combination of power and speed.

However, the ensuing season was one of the ugliest in recent memory. Glavine slogged along to the tune of a 4.52 ERA, with Jeff Duncan (yes, you read that right) logging more innings than any other Met in centerfield.

You all might remember that as the year where the team was disbanded midseason, how in a span of two weeks, Burnitz, Alomar, Rey Sanchez, Benitez and Graeme Lloyd (remember him) all found new homes. They truly were the dark ages.

And the season saw uglier things as well, with Mike Piazza falling victim to a freak muscle tear, and a bunch of washed up utility men were there to see the whole thing, like Joe DePastino, Jay Bell, and Mike Glavine. He might have been there just as a favor to Tom.

Floyd, however, had a Met career cut far too short by injuries. I always praised the guy for his hustle and his grind, even when Achilles tendons were getting the best of him. I can't really argue about whether or not he delivered what we were looking for in the contract, given that he only had one really productive season.

Glavine, though, was something you'd like to forget during that first year. Regrettably, everyone remembers the 15-2 home opener loss to the Cubs, where Glavine threw an impressive 3 2/3 innings of 8-hit, 5-run ball. The game was made a hint uglier by Mike Bacsik's two innings of work, where he allowed nine runs, including two homers to Corey Patterson.

The rest of the season wasn't much better for Tom Terrific, as he really failed to look like that impressive ace we were hunting for. If he leaves (Floyd and Trax are essentially gone anyway), I hope you are aware of who becomes the longest-tenured Met. Yes, kids, it's Pedro Feliciano.

But if you look at the fact that Feliciano threw in Japan for 2005, your longest tenured Met is Jose Reyes. That's right-- all twenty-three years of him. I think that says something about Minaya's reign, and that he is constantly changing the team, leaving only the young and great athletes to remain part of the core.

This offseason, pending Tom Glavine's choice between money/no-trade clauses and his kids, your Mets will lose two players, and with them the memories of the failed season in 2003 are swept out the door.

With Glavine we also might lose the traditional tension that came with his signing. We'd forget the notion about whether he's a true Brave or a Met, or whether or not he actually called John Schuerholz panicked about joining the Flushing squad.

I'm not sure it's time to say good riddance, but for the Mets, the notions of seasons long ago played will be no more, which is nothing to argue about.

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Coming on Saturday: Rangers wrapup, Jets/Packers preview, and maybe a little bit more about Tom Glavine?